So now that the first movie has been released, what is everyone's opinion?

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS

The action sequences were really cool and I liked how they emphasized the Major's hacking ability, esp. the part where she hacks Batou's eyes. I really hope they focus more on the relationships between the new section 9 team in the next movie because this movie was pretty flat when it came to character interaction. I also feel like the movie could have been a bit longer and maybe they could have devoted more time to explaining Motoko's parents and backstory. That part felt kind of left out since they just kind of added "Oh yeah I was a cyborg my whole life since being a fetus." There's going to be 3 more films so I'm excited no matter what.

I full heartedly agree on the desire to see more of the team interactions, however as for her parents I feel that the matter was presented as much as possible. To delve into it any further would be to create a past experience, and I think that one of the allures of ghost in the shell is its ability to have you revolve around the current, present problems at hand, and for a realist like herself and the people she works with the matter-of-fact acceptance of her fate and previous occurrences seems far more fitting.

But that's my one of many opinions. : )

It's cool to see for the first time ever a definite, actual reason and origin to her, rather than simply her showing a doubt, and therefore bringing up the question of how long she's been a cyborg. I loved that they did that.

-mm_________________
Who are you? Who slips into my robot body and whispers to my ghost?

Just watched tonight. Now I'm understanding some of the other discussions about all the different iterations each being their own thing. Sort of like New Trek, this is the same but different.

The show may be just as good but I really miss the Kanno music.

I'm missing something I think. Motokos organization, the 501st, is using her as bait. Who created the memory virus? How many layers of hack are being applied to Motoko.
1. She has a false memory of an adoptive mother figure (applied by her unit to launder money)
2. Her vision is hacked so she does not see the mobile land mine (that also has to be her unit since those mines are under the control of her unit)
3. Drat, while typing the above I forgot what I was thinking was a third set of hacks on the major.

So who pulled the trigger to assassinate the commanding office of the 501st? At one time or another you see different faces under the hood of the trigger. Was it really Kurtz?

Was the commander dirty or did he only screw up after he got infected with the memory virus? Or was the memory virus planted by Kurtz to ry to find out if he was dirty?

When did land mines get thermoptic camouflage? That seems like an expensive upgrade. I'm thinking of when Motoko used it to murder the guy in the car. Why are land mines fitted with speech? The mobile land mines seem like a plot band-aid to me. Also, are we to assume that robotics are so common place that a complex humanoid machine that also happens to go boom is inexpensive enough that you'd keep hundreds of them in a warehouse? Even if they can't boom until they are armed (face opens up) why aren't they exploding all over that vehicle when Pazu helps them escape?

And then compare the mobile land mines relative ineffectiveness to the hand grenade in episode 2, where one grenade takes out a tank. They do it twice for emphasis.

Soo many questions..._________________People tend to look at you a little strangely when they know you stuff voodoo dolls full of Ex-Lax.

I'm responding now (so late) because I have been unable to see the film, and I just rewatched the episodes+the new movie in anticipation.

I agree that the MLL's seemed like a poor plot device, not even a properly executed Macguffin, even though there were mysterious snippets of Motoko making a brief visual view...you would think a cyberbrain could freeze-frame such a thing and she could have more than her ghost to go upon.

Of course, this is an inexperienced Motoko, prone to mistakes that will be central to nearly the entire series.

I feel the MLL camped out in her room and Motoko's subconscious behavior is cool, but the MLL swarm, I agree, was overdone, and I thought it would be much more disastrous in the warehouse incident/escape.

I have to watch this one again, as I already lost detail of Kurtz/ 501st/ and her mentor. Was a little confusing...not to mention the role of her two trainer/mentor's involvement.